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----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Fogg" 
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 12:51 PM
Subject: Re: Lanolin, was Tallow


> This is a country of hundreds of millions
> of sheep, and its available in bulk. Wool in its raw state is very greasy,
the lanolin is almost a waste by-product.

Currently, the Australian sheep flock stands at around 90-93 million,
depending on who is doing the estimate.  The flock continues to steadily
decline from its all time peak of around 178 million in 1989. It has never
been in the "hundreds of millions" in size.

The great bulk of Australian wool production, around 94%, is exported
greasy. Lanolin  extraction takes place in other countries.

Early stage processing of  greasy wool, during which lanolin is extracted,
realises noxious byproducts. Such processing mostly occurs in countries such
as China, India, Poland and Russia.
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Now, a little note on tallow, and an illustration of how slippery historical
accounts can be.

In 1890 a great drought beset Australia, and continued for many years,
through into the early 1900's for some areas. In that period there was great
rendering of the (then fledgling) Australian sheep flock into tallow, for
export to Europe.

Australian school history books explain how things were so tough in
Australia then, that graziers had no option but to render their sheep into
tallow. Why Europe would want so much tallow was/is not explained.

The reality was that Europe in the late 1800's early 1900's was either at
war, and/or re-arming in anticipation of war. Tallow was an important
ingredient for construction of cartridges and also gunpowder. For Australia,
tallow was a high value/low volume for shipping item, compared to wool. The
low volume for shipping was all important, as at the time, the shipping
fleets for wool were only just gearing up.

In the absence of war clouds over Europe, the Australian flock would have
been left to the drought, in my opinion. The setting up of the rendering
facilities was expensive. Undertaken to meet a valuable market.

Lee Martin

   

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